MM#121--Action Cures Fear

Welcome to the theory to action podcast, where we examine the timeless treasures of wisdom from the great books in less time to help you take action immediately, and ultimately to create and lead a flourishing life. Now, here's your host, David Kaiser.

Hello, I am David and welcome back to another Mojo minute. Just a simple question in today's Mojo minute, what? Cures fear? Again, that question is what cures fear? What cures the fear that you don't want to take the next step? And anything in your life? A major project? A big decision starting a workout routine? 

Why does fear of the unknown, paralyze you? Why does fear of the unknown paralyze any of us? Is it the fear of making a bad decision? Is it the fear of making a good decision? Sometimes perhaps, right? Believe me, this one is real too. But fear seems to be everywhere. 

So what does cure fear? And for that answer, let us turn to David Swartz and his Uber popular book, the magic of thinking big acquire the seat Secrets of Success, achieve everything you've always wanted. This book was written back in 1959. But my copy says 1997. I purchased it back in 2015. Read it twice. If you haven't read it, I would highly encourage it. There are some fantastic nuggets of wisdom contained within. But back to our question, what cures fear. And let's go to the book. 

As always, for our first pullquote a fear of all kinds and sizes is a form of psychological infection. We can cure a mental infection the same way we can cure a body infection with specific proven treatments. Condition yourself with this fact. All confidence is acquired, developed. No one is born with confidence. Those people around you who radiate kind of confidence who have conquered worry, who were at ease everywhere and all the time acquired their confidence, every bit of it, unquote. 

All right, all right. All right. So that's, that's some good information we're getting somewhere. So we know that fear is a psychological infection. And we now know we need a proven treatment just like we have proven treatments for body infections. We need a proven treatment for the psychological infection. Let's continue back to the book. Action, cures fear, indecision postponement. And on the other hand, they fertilize fear. So jot that down in your success rule book now. Action cures fear. Now, how cool is that? Did you hear that? Action cures fear. And let's take Swartz his recommendation. 

So let's pull out your little success rule book and jot it down. Action cures fear. Go ahead. We will wait on you. Seriously, we're waiting. Write it down. Okay. So now let's unpack that. Why does action cure fear? And what are you afraid of these days? Let's go back to that list we formed in the beginning that major project this fear got you to the point of indecision, are you paralyzed, not wanting to make a mistake going one way or the other? So let's do this. Let's figure out the next best small step to take in that project. To keep you moving forward. 

But But But David but David, I know you say this
I don't know How to take the next step past that step. I know the next step I need to take. But I don't know the step after that the second step, it doesn't matter, take the next best step you can take. And sometimes, just sometimes, as the poet often tells us, the woods removed itself, and the branches and the leaves revealed the path I was to take. 

So then the next objection, I'm sure you're coming up with is okay, David. But what about this one? I'm afraid to have this or that conversation with my loving spouse. Okay, very good. What's the next best action you could take there? Is it perhaps gathering more information so as not to make a rash judgment about your spouse, about a certain situation? Perhaps with the kids, perhaps with the in laws, you know, all the common tender and sensitive spots that most couples go through where arguments usually arise? Or perhaps you have already done that. 

So perhaps the next best action step is to pray about it. Many people think that prayer is not taking action, but in fact it is. Praying is action, seeking a higher power is an action step. Sometimes the good God wants you to reach out to him for guidance in his divine plan. That's part of the plan is to get you humble enough to reach out, because you don't know the next step. Imagine that. The good god knows what we know or should know or what we need before we even ask. So reach out. But finally, let's hear from Swartz one more time, he tells us hesitation only enlarges and magnifies the fear. So take action promptly be decisive. 

So in today's Mojo minute, let us not fertilize our fears. Let us not enlarge them with indecision, let us not magnify them. But let us know the cure to reducing fear is always to take action, no matter how small take action take action. And as the great Jocko willing toughness and Extreme Ownership, default, aggressive should be our standard default reaction to almost every situation, default, aggressive, write that down right next to action, cures fear. And let us learn from this nugget of wisdom. By always putting that bookmark in the success rule book where it says what cures fear question mark? Oh, yes, action cures fear and let us finally put theory into action today.


Thank you for joining us. We hope you enjoyed this theory to action podcast. Be sure to check out our show page at T Mojo academy.com where we have everything we discussed in this podcast as well as other great resources. Until next time, keep getting your mojo on